While responses to the video have been very mixed, and many people are asking why an organization would cause the heartache witnessed in the video by asking homeless people to read the insults, the point really shouldn’t be lost. Yes, it is likely these individuals would not have seen these specific tweets, but do we really think they don’t feel the impact of those words?

They live this, day in and day out. They feel the scorn of the public daily, some in direct insults such as those depicted in the tweets, but also in the general lack of compassion – the ignored pleas for help, the acceptance of criminalization of homelessness, homeless feeding bans. . .

Apathy causes just as much, if not more pain as “mean tweets,” and that really is my take-away from the campaign.

The organization took their awareness one step further. In addition to the mean tweets video, they also shared responses from those that participated in the project. Take a few minutes and watch. These are extremely moving, and their stories need to be heard and shared.

“If home is where the heart is, then are homeless people heartless.”

Melissa’s response:

“I hate when homeless people expect us to feel sorry for them we all have the same 24 hrs what you choose to do is up to you.”